Needle cap for syringe package

ABSTRACT

A two piece syringe package of the type having a cap for enclosing the barrel end of a syringe and a sheath for enclosing the needle end of the syringe, characterized in that the sheath extends over the barrel end of the syringe with the inner diameter of the sheath spaced from the barrel outer diameter, and having a surface for receiving the cap on the outer diameter of the sheath, with the sheath further being provided with ribs on the interior thereof for centering the needle portion of the syringe during assembly, storage and shipment.

[151 3,677,247 [451 July 18,1972

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FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [21] Appl. No.: 94,953

227,853 9/1959 Australia.................................206/43 RelatedUS. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 715,238, March 22,1968,

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-G. F. Dunneabandoned.

Attorney-Hofgren. Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A twopiece syringe package of the type having a cap for enclosing the barrelend of a syringe and a sheat [51] Int. Cl.

h for enclosing References an the needle end of the syringe,characterized in that the sheath extends over the barrel end of thesyringe with the inner diameter of the sheath spaced from the barrelouter diameter, and having a surface for receiving the cap on the outerdiame- UNITED STATES PATENTS ter of the sheath, with the sheath furtherbeing provided with ribs on the interior thereof for centering theneedle portion of the syringe during assembly, storage and shipment.

m o h m a H w d H mm 5 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures Patented July 18, 1972Z4 %,MJW By 1 7 prraeA/err BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to syringe containers.

2. Description of the Prior Art The art, as represented by the patentsto Kendall, US. Pat. No. 2,720,969, Wilburn US. Pat. No. 2,860,638,Burke U.S.

Pat. No. 2,972,991 and Cowley U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,747, discloses syringepackages including a closed end needle sleeve which telescopes over thesyringe needle. The patent to Green U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,495, as well asthe Wilburn patent, also shows syringe packages where the needle sleevecovers part of the barrel portion of the syringe. However, in thesestructures there is direct contact between the needle sleeve and thesyringe barrel which is an unsatisfactory departure from sterilitystandards. Thus, it has become desirable to provide a syringe packagewhich safely holds the syringe in a centered relationship within thepackage and yet is maintained free of direct contact with the syringe topermit the desired air spacing between the package and the syringe.

Summary of the Invention This invention is directed, in brief, to theprovision of a two piece syringe package of the type having asleeve-like cap for enclosing the barrel end of the syringe and a sheathseparable from the cap for enclosing the syringe end thereof and, inparticular, to a sheath for such a syringe which centers the needleportion of the syringe within the cap, extends over a portion of thebarrel end of the syringe, and yet is free of direct contact therewith.The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the instantinvention is a needle cap which is of a generally frusto-conical shapeand has inwardly directed and spaced ribs for centering the needleportion of the syringe. The syringe needle may be encased within acannula whereby the cannula contacts the ribs in the sheath. The sheathterminates in an open, generally cylindrical syringe barrel receivingend which extends over the barrel and has an inner diametersubstantially greater than the outer diameter of the syringe barrel soas to be diametrically spaced therefrom, and has an outer surface and anaxially extending recess for firmly and telescopically receiving the capportion of the syringe package over the exterior of the open end of thesheath.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of asyringe package including the needle cap portion of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 2- 2 of FIG.1 showing the syringe package with a syringe in assembled relationshiptherein;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 3- 3 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 4- 4 of Fig.1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Syringe package is intended foruse in containing therein a syringe 12 having the usual barrel l4, andplunger 16 with thumb button 18 on the exterior thereof. Fluid isdischargeable out of the neck 22 of the barrel into the receiving end 24of the needle 26 for dispensation out of the open end 27 of the needle.

For purposes of this invention, the needle 26 is shown encased in acannula 28 of plastic or other suitable sterilizable material. Theneedle and cannula combination is shown in the copending application ofRalph D. Alley and David S. Sheridan, filed May 24, 1967, under Ser. No.640,889. The cannula may include an enlarged portion 280 which tapersgenerally frusto-conically into a reduced generally cylindrical portion28b The tip end 280 of the cannula tapers into a smooth junction withthe needle 26.

The barrel end of the syringe is generally closed by a circularcylindrical barrel cap 30 having a closed end 32 adjacent the thumbbutton 18 of plunger 16 and an open end 34 facing toward needle 26. Thebutton 18 is intended to be in abutting engagement with the inside endportion 32 when the package is assembled.

The needle portion of the syringe is encased within a needle sheath orlower sleeve 36 of this invention. Sheath 36 includes a generallycylindrical base portion 38 which is intended to overlie a portion ofthe syringe barrel 14. Base 38 includes a reduced diameter portion 40having inner surface 40a which has a diameter substantially larger thanthe outer diameter of the barrel 14 so as to be well spaced therefrom.The outer surface 40b of portion 40 has a diameter of a size to snuglymate with, and telescopically receive, the inner diameter of the barrelcap 30. In addition, base portion 38 has an axially extending recess 42for receiving the free end 34 of the barrel cap 30 to close the two partpackage when so assembled.

The sheath 36 further includes a generally frusto-conical tapered body44 which merges into a substantially cylindrical tip portion 46 thatterminates in a closed end 48 for shielding the pointed or free end 27of needle 26. Outer ribs 50 may be formed on the exterior of thefrusto-conical body portion 44, these ribs 50 terminating in flangeportion 50b in the area of the juncture of the frusto-conical portion 44and cylindrical base 38. The flange portion 50b is shown in the shape ofa hexagonal figure with six flat surfaces 500 each one of which forms ameans for limiting rolling of the package when placed on a smoothsurface. The number of sides on the flange portion 50b can vary withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

The interior of the sheath 38 is provided with a plurality (preferablyeight) of generally radially inwardly directed and axially extendingribs 52. The ribs have tapered guide surfaces 53 adjacent the enlargedopen end 40 and terminate in inwardly facing free ends 54 which define agenerally circular cylindrical inner sleeve that substantially snuglymates with the receiving end 24 of needle 26 and also with the enlargedportion 28a of plastic cannula 28, centering the syringe with respect tothe cap when the syringe is inserted therein and holding the barrelcentered relative to the cylindrical base 38 and well spaced out ofcontact therewith. Thefit between the ribs 52 and the needle is such asto retain the needle in position in the sheath. However, a slightshaking action will break the fit and permit the needle and syringe tobe dropped from the sheath.

The cap 30 is placed over the syringe 14 with the open end 34 slid downthe outer surface 40!; of the reduced portion 40 of the sheath 36. Theend 34 seats into the recess 42 in base portion 38 of the sheath 36 withthe button 18 of the syringe bearing against the inner surface of end 32of the cap 30. The cap 30 is sealed to the sheath by spot heat sealingor by tape at the junction of the cap to the sheath. The whole unit isappropriately sterilized prior to shipment by a gas sterilizationprocess or the equivalent. When the seal is broken between the cap andthe sheath, the bottom end 34 of the cap 30 being sterile will notcontaminate the surface 40b as it is removed therefrom. Therefore, theouter edge of the reduced diameter portion 40 is maintained in a sterilecondition so that even if the needle strikes said edge as it is removedfrom the sheath, it will not effect its sterile state.

With this construction, after the cap 30 has been removed from thesyringe, the syringe is still maintained centered within the sheath 36and the barrel spaced from direct engagement therewith. Thus, thesyringe may be held on a tray, still received within the sheath 36, in acondition ready for use and still be maintained sterile and out ofdirect contact with any surfaces. Furthermore, as the syringe is eitherdropped or withdrawn from the sheath 36, the needle 26 and/or cannula 28will slide along the sterile edges 54 of the guides or ribs 52 and overthe sterile inner surface 40a as it drops from the package whereby nosterility of the needle or cannula will be lost. All other portions ofthe syringe will be maintained free of contact with the needle cap toinsure maximum sterility thereof prior to use. In addition, themultiplicity of ribs 52, and close circumferential spacing at the innerends 54 thereof, and the efiective inner diameter formed by the freeends 54 affords a means for initially guiding and subsequently holdingthe syringe in a centered relationship within the needle cap formaintaining the syringe so centered and, generally spaced from theportions 40,44 and 46 of the needle cap following assembly.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications 'may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A package for use with a syringe having a barrel and a hub with aneedle projecting outwardly from said hub, a plastic cannula having asleeve portion encircling the distal end portion of the needle andgradually tapering to an enlarged portion encasing the remainder of theneedle with the proximal end portion of the cannula abutting the hub, asheath having a closed end merging into a tapered body for receiving andenclosing the plastic cannula and the hub and needle of the syringe, thetapered body terminating in an enlarged open end, the body being of alength from the closed end to the open end sufficient to enclose thesyringe hub and needle and part of the syringe barrel, the innerdiameter of the open end of the sheath being substantially larger thanthe outer diameter of the syringe barrel with which the sheath isintended to be used so as to be free of direct contact therewith, theinterior of the body portion of the sheath being provided with aplurality of generally radially inwardly directed and axially extendingribs, the radical extent of the ribs being of such a dimension as toclosely embrace the hub portion of the syringe and to hold the same incentered relationship relative to the sheath, the distance between theinnermost edges of adjacent ribs being smaller than the diameter of thehub so as to guide the needle into said centered position in saidsheath, and a barrel cap enclosing the barrel of the syringe, saidsheath having a circumferential recess formed in the axially facing openend wall for receiving the end of said barrel cap for sealing the sheathand cap together, said cap, sheath, and syringe'having portions thereofspaced from each other to provide a gas passageway extending from theinteriorof said barrel cap to the interior of that portion of the sheathwhich surrounds the distal end portion of the needle.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein external flange means areformed on said sheath with flat surfaces formed on the outer edge ofsaid flange, each flat surface being adapted when in the down positionto limit rolling of the package when placed on a smooth surface.

3. The package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel includes a maincylindrical portion and'a generally radially inwardly extendingdistalend portion facing toward the proximal end portions of the ribs, theribs extending radially outwardly to points which are radially outwardof the outer periphery of said main cylindrical portion of the barrel.

4. The package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel includes a maincylindrical portion and a generally radially inwardly extending distalend portion facing toward the proximal end portions of the ribs, saiddistal end portion being axially spaced from the proximal end portionsof the ribs.

5. The package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel includes a neckreceived in said hub and spacing the barrel entirely out of directcontact with the sheath.

1. A package for use with a syringe having a barrel and a hub with aneedle projecting outwardly from said hub, a plastic cannula having asleeve portion encircling the distal end portion of the needle andgradually tapering to an enlarged portion encasing the remainder of theneedle with the proximal end portion of the cannula abutting the hub, asheath having a closed end merging into a tapered body for receiving andenclosing the plastic cannula and the hub and needle of the syringe, thetapered body terminating in an enlarged open end, the body being of alength from the closed end to the open end sufficient to enclose thesyringe hub and needle and part of the syringe barrel, the innerdiameter of the open end of the sheath being substantially larger thanthe outer diameter of the syringe barrel with which the sheath isintended to be used so as to be free of direct contact therewith, theinterior of the body portion of the sheath being provided with aplurality of generally radially inwardly directed and axially extendingribs, the radical extent of the ribs being of such a dimension as toclosely embrace the hub portion of the syringe and to hold the same incentered relationship relative to the sheath, the distance between theinnermost edges of adjacent ribs being smaller than the diameter of thehub so as to guide the needle into said centered position in saidsheath, and a barrel cap enclosing the barrel of the syringe, saidsheath having a circumferential recess formed in the axially facing openend wall for receiving the end of said barrel cap for sealing the sheathand cap together, said cap, sheath, and syringe having portions thereofspaced from each other to provide a gas passageway extending from theinterior of said barrel cap to the interior of that portion of thesheath which surrounds the distal end portion of the needle.
 2. Apackage as claimed in claim 1 wherein external flange means are formedon said sheath with flat surfaces formed on the outer edge of saidflange, each flat surface being adapted when in the down position tolimit rolling of the package when placed on a smooth surface.
 3. Thepackage as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel includes a maincylindrical portion and a generally radially inwardly extending distalend portion facing toward the proximal end portions of the ribs, theribs extending radially outwardly to points which are radially outwardof the outer periphery of said main cylindrical portion of the barrel.4. The package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel includes a maincylindrical portion and a generally radially inwardly extending distalend portion facing toward the proximal end portions of the ribs, saiddistal end portion being axially spaced from the proximal end portionsof the ribs.
 5. The package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrelincludes a neck received in said hub and spacing the barrel entirely outof direct contact with the sheath.